Coronary Heart Disease Briefing

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a collective term for diseases that occur when the walls of the coronary arteries become narrowed by a gradual build up of fatty material called atheroma. For the purpose of this briefing, CHD includes heart attack and angina (chest pain on exertion or stress). The Chronic Conditions Hub is a website that brings together information on chronic health conditions. It allows you to easily access, manage and share relevant information resources. The Chronic Conditions Hub includes the Institute of Public Health in Ireland’s (IPH) estimates and forecasts of the number of people living with chronic conditions. On the Chronic Conditions Hub you will find: - A Briefing for each condition - Detailed technical documentation - Detailed national and sub-national data that can be downloaded or explored using online data tools - A prevalence tool that allows you to calculate prevalence figures for your population data

Coronary Heart Disease Briefing: Technical Documentation

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a collective term for diseases that occur when the walls of the coronary arteries become narrowed by a gradual build up of fatty material called atheroma. This document details how the IPH has systematically estimated and forecast the prevalence of heart attack and/or angina (which we refer to as CHD) on the island of Ireland.

IPH response to the Joint Committee on Health and Children and members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on “Cross-border cooperation on healthcare”

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland were asked to submit a paper on 'Cross-border cooperation on healthcare' for a joint meeting between the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children and the Northern Ireland Assembly Health Committee which took place in Leinster House on 1 March 2012. Key points from the submission included: o    The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is an all-island organisation which promotes cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with the aim of improving population health on the island and tackling health inequalities. IPH work is focused on addressing the causes of ill health rather than the design and delivery of treatment services. o    North/South cooperation on health was mandated under the Belfast Agreement in 1998 in five domains, including health promotion. IPH has supported the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in respect of the health promotion strand since inception. o    The Department of Health and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety North-South Feasibility Study (December 2011) states that mutual benefits are most evident from cooperation in the areas of (i) anticipating trends and illnesses in a collective manner (ii) public health issues (iii) specialised services where the population or activity required to sustain the service cannot be met by either jurisdiction alone and (iv) in relation to those areas adjacent to the border. o    The European Directive on Cross-Border Healthcare will be implemented in the next few years which will have implications in relation to patients travelling for healthcare across the Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland border. o    IPH is supporting the development of new public health strategies in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland which are both due for publication this year. o    There are tangible benefits from cross-border cooperation in the health sector, both in public health and in health service planning and delivery and there are many examples of successful initiatives. However, developments are not occurring in the context of an agreed plan or overall strategic context and tend to be project-based and concentrated in border counties. o    Successful cross-border cooperation requires high level support and integration into departmental policy cycles. The provision of data on an all-island basis supports cross-border cooperation as does the operation of sustainable all-island organisations which can support research, evaluations and programmes. o    In the future, cross-border cooperation in health will be more effective if developed with a strategic planning process intrinsically linked to Departmental priorities. o    North-South cooperation in the areas of alcohol, obesity, tobacco health surveys and rare diseases will be particularly beneficial.

North South Feasibility Study - Final Report 2009

This Study was jointly commissioned by the Department of Health and Children in Ireland and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland. The main purpose of the Study is to develop a strategic framework for taking forward on a North-South basis future collaborative work in health and social care and in planning and delivering health and social care services, as may be appropriate. The Study sets out examples of current North-South cooperation and Identifies a number of potential areas within which further collaborative work may benefit people living in each jurisdiction. A participative approach was adopted in conducting this work and the outcome represents the collective views of key professionals and managers in both healthcare systems. While North-South collaboration on health related issues is not new, what this Study provides is a structured approach to its ongoing development, with clearly identified areas for further cooperation and explicit roles and responsibilities for Departments and Agencies in both jurisdictions.   Click here to download PDF 213KB

ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

This multi-author book will discuss the history and clinical presentation of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders(FASD) i.e Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND). These developmental neuropsychiatric disorders result from prenatal exposure to alcohol during any gestational period of pregnancy. The book will particularly address the co-occurring presence of ADHD in patients with FASD. ADHD is the most frequent neuropsychiatric presentation of FASD throughout the lifespan and it is particularly difficult to manage because the underlying pathophysiology is related to prenatal neurotoxic brain injury. Although prenatal alcohol exposure , and the resulting FASD, is recognised as the commonest preventable cause of intellectual disability, many clinicians and educators are not aware that 75 to 80% of the patients with FASD have I.Q.s over 70. Thus, the neuropsychiatric presentation of FASD can often be unrecognised or misunderstood. FASD are the true clinical ' masqueraders' and ADHD is their most likely disguise! The authors are all experienced professionals from a wide range of disciplines working throughout the USA and Canada. They have been involved in the diagnosis, research and management of FASD for many years and this book will bring their collective knowledge regarding management from infancy to adulthood to an inter-professional audienceThis resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

4th annual conference on Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease: Highlights

��In a sign that researchers are grappling with therapy development, the 4th annual conference on Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease was filled beyond its venue's capacity, drawing 522 researchers from around the globe. Held 3-5 November 2011 in San Diego, CTAD is the brainchild of Paul Aisen, Jacques Touchon, Bruno Vellas, and Michael Weiner. The conference posted no ringing trial successes. Instead, scientists worked on methodological aspects they hope will improve future trials' chances. They discussed Bayesian models, simulated placebos, and biomarker data standards. They presented alternative outcome measures to the ADAS-cog, ranging widely from composite scales that are sensitive early on to continuous measures that encompass a patients' day-to-day variability. They focused on EEG, and on a collective effort to develop patient-reported outcomes. Highlights include:Whence and Where To: History and Future of AD Therapy Trials��Webinar: Evolution of AD Trials��Nutrient Formulation Appears to Grease Memory Function��Door Slams on RAGE��Clinical Trials: Making "Protocols From Hell" Less Burdensome��EEG: Coming in From the Margins of Alzheimer's Research?��EEG: Old Method to Lend New Help in AD Drug Development?������